A novel modeling method for photovoltaic cells

The mathematical description of current-voltage characteristics for photovoltaic cells are generally represented by a coupled nonlinear equation, which is difficult to solve by analytical methods. In this paper, a novel modeling process is proposed to configure a computer simulation model, which is able to demonstrate the cell's output features in terms of environment changes in irradiance and temperature. Based on a simplified single-diode model, the parameters are determined in the sense of minimum model error and temperature effect. It is tested to simulate three popular types of photovoltaic panels made of different materials, CIS thin film, multicrystalline silicon, and monocrystalline silicon. The effectiveness of this approach is evaluated through comparison of simulation results to the data provided by product's manufacturer.